Faltering champions still have the hunger to chase trophies, says Mcgregor
C a l l u m Mc G r e g o r i n s i s t s there is still enough hunger i n s i d e t h e C e l t i c d r e s s i n g room to car ve out another successful season.
Neil Lennon’s side fought back from t wo goals down at Hibernian on Saturday to draw 2-2 but they fell 11 points behind Premiership leaders Rangers albeit the nine -ina-row champions have two games in hand.
Celtic get the chance to win an unprecedented quadrup l e d o mes t i c t r e b l e whe n they play Hearts in the William Hill Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park next month.
However, next up for Lenn o n' s f a l t e r i n g s i d e i s a Europa League tie against S p a r t a P r a g u e t o m o r r ow night - Celtic lost 4-1 at home to the Czech Republic outfit earlier in the month - and with only two wins in their last eight matches, the Parkhead boss and his players are under increasing scrutiny.
However, Mcgregor told Celtic T V that he still sees positive signs.
The Scotland international said: "The last 20 minutes of the Hibs game we managed to turn it around and get two goals and salvage a point.
"Now we have to take the p osi tives from it, and certainly by the looks of training this morning, ever yone was excellent and on it.
"There's no getting away from the results being stopstar t and we've been drop - ping points where the small d e t a i l s h a v e b e e n g o i n g against us.
"It's been frustrating and far from perfect. But we have to rememb er that as well, that in life, it's never perfect.
"We've had a really successful sp ell with the club, the players, the management, the club as a whole - ever yone who works for the club - and we're all desperate to continue that success.
"A n d wh e n I l o o k i n t h e dressing room, I see enough quality and enough hunger to go and have another successful season.
"We've had a little bit of a blip, but it's now down to the players, the management, the club as a whole, everyone to rally round each other, and for the support to continue.
"The support's always fantastic and that's why the club has been built on so much s u c c e s s , b e c a u s e t h e s u p - porters have stuck with the club through thick and thin, through good times and bad t i me s , a n d t h e y ' r e a l ways t h e r e . S o i n t e r m s o f t h e message, it has to be ever yone going together, stay connected, stay together and we will go on and have another successful season - I have no doubt about that."
Meanwhile, Celtic are ready to open talks with AC Milan over the permanent transfer of Diego Laxalt, according to reports in Italy.
The Uruguayan left-back has impressed since signing on loan towards the end of the summer transfer wind ow, i n c l u d i n g b a g g i n g a late equaliser in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Hibs.
Italian media has revealed that Parkhead chiefs see the 27-year-old as the long-term answer at left-back and are now seeking to keep him at Parkhead beyond the end of this season.
Signed in 2018 from Genoa for a fee in the region of £12.5 million, it’s unlikely Celtic will be able to scoop up Laxalt on the cheap.
Milan do, however, retain an interest in Celtic centre - back Kristoffer Ajer and the two sides could figure out a deal that would see Laxalt r e ma i n i n G l a s g ow wh i l e his Nor wegian team-mate swaps the Scottish Premiership for Serie A.